Irbadh bin Sariyah al-Salamiرضي الله عنه
Alhamdulillah, all praise be to Allahﷻ, blessings, and salutations to Rasulullahﷺ, his wife and family members, his companions, and those who follow in his footsteps until the Day of Judgment.
The words of Allahﷻ:
مُّحَمَّدٌ رَّسُولُ اللَّهِ ۚ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ أَشِدَّاءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ تَرَاهُمْ رُكَّعًا سُجَّدًا يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانًا ۖ سِيمَاهُمْ فِي وُجُوهِهِم مِّنْ أَثَرِ السُّجُودِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مَثَلُهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ ۚ وَمَثَلُهُمْ فِي الْإِنجِيلِ كَزَرْعٍ أَخْرَجَ شَطْأَهُ فَآزَرَهُ فَاسْتَغْلَظَ فَاسْتَوَىٰ عَلَىٰ سُوقِهِ يُعْجِبُ الزُّرَّاعَ لِيَغِيظَ بِهِمُ الْكُفَّارَ ۗ وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ مِنْهُم مَّغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا
It means: "Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the Messenger of God, and the people who are with him are harsh and firm towards the infidels who are (hostile to Islam), and it is best to be kind and compassionate to each other (Muslims). You see them still bowing and prostrating, hoping for abundant grace (reward) from their Lord and hoping for His pleasure. The sign that shows them (as pious people) is their face - from the effect of prostration (and their sincere worship). Such is the nature of those mentioned in the Book of Torah; and their nature in the Bible is: (that they are likened) to a plant that produces children and shoots, then the children and shoots nourish it, until it becomes strong, then it stands firmly on the (base) of its trunk in an amazing condition the people who planted it. (Allah made the companions of the Prophet Muhammad, s.a.w and his followers numerous and strong like that) because He wanted to make the infidels languish with feelings of anger and envy - with the proliferation of the Muslims. (And besides that) God has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds from them, forgiveness and a great reward."
(Surah al-Fath: 29)
Answering the question above, we say that his name is Irbadh bin Sariyah al-Salamiرضي الله عنه or known as Abu Najih. Irbadhرضي الله عنه is one of the companions from the Suffah group and he is one of the reasons for the revelation of the Qur'anic verse:
وَلَا عَلَى الَّذِينَ إِذَا مَا أَتَوْكَ لِتَحْمِلَهُمْ قُلْتَ لَا أَجِدُ مَا أَحْمِلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ
Meaning: "And there is no sin on those who, when they come to you, so that you give them a vehicle, then you say: I did not get a vehicle to carry you."
(Surah al-Taubah: 92)
Irbadhرضي الله عنه lived in Sham and among the companions who narrated hadith from him were Abu Rohm and Abu Amamah. While from among the Tabi'in, many people were in Sham at that time. Irbadhرضي الله عنه was also one of the companions who cried because he really wanted to wage jihad and fight with Rasulullahﷺ in the battle of Tabuk, where the battle was a battle full of difficulties. Furthermore, he did not belong to the group of people who were prepared by Rasulullahﷺ to follow the war.
Irbadhرضي الله عنه narrated 31 hadiths from Rasulullahﷺ. Even so, Imam al-Bukhari and Muslims did not mention it in their two Sahihs. Among his students who narrated hadith from him: were Abd al-Rahman bin Amr al-Sulami رضي الله عنه, Abu Salamah Abd al-Rahman bin Maisarah al-Hadramiرضي الله عنه, Abu Rahm Ahzab bin Usaid al-Simaiرضي الله عنه, Habib bin Ubaidرضي الله عنه, Abdullah bin Abi Bilalرضي الله عنه, Suwaid bin Jabalahرضي الله عنه, Abd al-A'la bin Hilalرضي الله عنه, Jubair bin Nufairرضي الله عنه, Khalid bin Ma'danرضي الله عنه, Ubadah bin Aufa al-Namiriرضي الله عنه, Hajar bin Hajarرضي الله عنه, and others.
Irbadhرضي الله عنه said that he was the fourth person who embraced Islam and died in the year 75 Hijrah.
We present here a famous hadith mentioned by Imam al-Nawawi in his book Matan Arba'in regarding the hadith from Irbadhرضي الله عنه :
From Abu Najih Irbadhرضي الله عنه, he said: Rasulullahﷺ gave us advice that made our hearts tremble and our tears flow. So we said: "O Messenger of Allah, as if this is parting advice, then give us a will."
Rasulullahﷺsaid:
أُوْصِيكُمْ بِتَقْوَى اللَّهِ وَالسَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ وَإِنْ تَأَمَّرَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَبْدٌ، فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ يَعِشُ مِنْكُمْ فَسَيَرَى اخْتِلَافًا كَثِيرًا؛ فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِسُنَّتِي وَسُنَّةِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ الْمَهْدِيِّينَ عَضُوا عَلَيْهَا بِالنَّوَاجِدِ، وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَمُحْدَثَاتِ الْأُمُورِ؛ فَإِنَّ كُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ.
Meaning: "I bequeath you to fear Allah SWT, submit and obey your leader even if the one leading you is a servant. There will be among you who live (hereafter) will witness many disputes. You should hold fast to my sunnah and the sunnah of the Khulafa' al-Rashidin who were guided, bite (hold firmly) with your molars. You should avoid things that are made up because all things of innovation are misguided."
Narrated by Abu Daud (4607) and al-Tirmizi (2678), he said: Hasan sahih
We end with a prayer:
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا
It means: "O our Lord! Grant us mercy from Your side, and give us facilities and guidance for the safety of our religion."
Surah al-Kahfi (10)
Hadith Narrated By Irbad bin SariyahIn Sunan Ibn Majah
Narrated/Authority of Irbad bin Sariyah
Listed in: The Book of the Sunnah
Narrated/Authority of Irbad bin Sariyah
Listed in: The Chapters of Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them
